Life insurance needs
Use the DIME method to estimate how much life insurance would protect the people who rely on you.
Life Insurance
Whole and Universal Life Insurance in Chandler, AZ
Permanent life insurance is built to stay in force for your lifetime as long as premiums are paid, and it builds cash value along the way. It costs more than term for the same death benefit, so the question is whether you have a need that never expires. Viola helps you answer that honestly.
Life, long-term care, annuity and supplemental products are subject to underwriting and carrier approval. Guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of the issuing company. Nothing on this site is tax, legal or investment advice.
In clients' words
What working with Viola looks like
Our savings and care with Violas recommendations and education with our health and life insurance. Great job! We are very happy with your service and support!
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What to know before you choose
There are two main families. Whole life has a fixed premium, a guaranteed death benefit and guaranteed cash value growth, based on the claims-paying ability of the insurance company. Universal life is more flexible: within limits you can adjust premiums and the death benefit, and the cash value earns interest set by the company, with a guaranteed minimum. Some universal life policies are designed mainly to guarantee the death benefit for life at a lower premium.
Cash value is a living feature of the policy. You may be able to borrow against it or withdraw from it, but loans and withdrawals reduce the death benefit and, if handled badly, can cause a policy to lapse. Permanent life insurance is protection first; it is not an investment, and Viola will not present it as one.
Permanent coverage tends to make sense for needs that do not end: leaving money to children or a cause, covering final expenses with certainty, providing for a family member with lifelong needs, or helping with business planning. Some permanent policies also include living benefits or long-term care riders, which link life insurance to care costs; the details differ by insurance company.
Her approach is to start with the need, not the product. If term covers what you are worried about, she will tell you. If part of your need is permanent, she may suggest a blend: term for the years with a mortgage and children, a smaller permanent policy for what lasts. She lays out illustrations side by side and points out which numbers are guaranteed and which are not.
Coverage is subject to underwriting and carrier approval. Once your policy is in force she reviews it with you over time, because a universal life policy in particular should be checked to make sure the premiums still support the coverage you want.
How Viola helps
- Whole life and universal life compared in plain English
- Guaranteed versus non-guaranteed figures pointed out on every illustration
- Cash value, loans and withdrawals explained, including how they affect the death benefit
- Term and permanent blends considered when they fit better
- Living benefit and long-term care riders compared where offered
- Ongoing policy reviews so coverage stays on track
Who it fits
You want coverage that will be there whenever you die, not just for a set number of years, for legacy, final expenses, a dependent with lifelong needs or business planning, and you can commit to a higher premium.
Is permanent life insurance a good way to invest?
It is insurance first. Cash value grows over time and can be useful, but permanent life is not an investment and should not be bought as one. Buy it when you have a lifelong need for a death benefit, and look at the guaranteed figures, not just the projections.
Tools
Run the numbers first
Free calculators for this coverage. Results are estimates, not quotes.
Final expense calculator
Add up funeral, cemetery and leftover bills to see how much final expense cover would spare your family.
Guides
Related guides
Term vs permanent life insurance: which fits your goal
Term covers a set number of years at a lower price. Permanent coverage lasts your lifetime and can build cash value. Here is how they differ, how cash value really works, and how to choose.
Living benefits on life insurance, explained
Some life policies let you use part of the death benefit while you are still alive if you become terminally, chronically or critically ill. Here is how accelerated death benefit riders work and what they cost you.
How much life insurance do I need? 3 ways to work it out
A rule of thumb is a starting point, not an answer. Here are three simple methods, the DIME method, income replacement and a needs worksheet, with a worked example you can copy with your own numbers.
FAQ
Permanent Life (Whole & Universal): common questions
Is permanent life insurance a good way to invest?
It is insurance first. Cash value grows over time and can be useful, but permanent life is not an investment and should not be bought as one. Buy it when you have a lifelong need for a death benefit, and look at the guaranteed figures, not just the projections.
What is the difference between whole life and universal life?
Whole life has a fixed premium, a guaranteed death benefit and guaranteed cash value growth. Universal life is more flexible, letting you adjust premiums and the death benefit within limits, with cash value that earns interest set by the company above a guaranteed minimum.
Can I borrow against my life insurance cash value?
Usually, yes. Policy loans are possible on most permanent policies, but unpaid loans and interest reduce the death benefit and, if they grow too large, can cause the policy to lapse.
Is term or permanent life insurance better for me?
Term fits needs with an end date, like a mortgage or raising children. Permanent fits needs that last your lifetime, like leaving a legacy or providing for a dependent with lifelong needs. Many families use a mix.
We speak insurance, so you don't have to.
Permanent Life (Whole & Universal) in Chandler and across Arizona: no pressure, plain answers, and a review every year.
2160 North Alma School Road, Suite 102, Chandler, AZ 85224 · (480) 300-5776